Toy cannon.



W. 0. McDANlEL.

TOY CANNON.

APPLICATION man MAY 31,1912.

L, Patented oct. 30,1917.

UNITE@ @TATEUTENT FFIQE,

WALTER o. MCDANIEL, or sT. IoUIs, iIIssoURI, AssIeNOR 'ro scIIRonrER RRorrHnRs HARDWARE COMPANY, or sr. LOUIS, IIIssoURI, A CORPORATION or i/IIssoURI; f

'TOY CANNON.

raisers.

T0 all whom 2'25 may concern.' v-

Be it known that I, WALTER O. MCDANIEL, a citizen of the United States, residingfat St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in 'Ioy Can.-`

nons,'of which the following is a full, clear, and'eXact description, such as will enable Others skilled, in the art to which it `appertains to make and use the same.

rThis invention relatesto toy cannons. of thetype that comprise aspring forshooting Orprojecting an object `from thev barrel of the cannon. "f-

One object of my invention isto providea toy cannon of the type referred to, whichfis so constructed thatzthe barrel ofsame'can be'tilted vertically and also swung horizonk tally with relation to theV base portion on which the barrel is mounted, therebyiproducing a toy cannon whose general appear-.il

` ance and principleof operations`of a'r as of the child using'the'cannon.`

the adjustment ofthe barrel is concerned,

resembles a real cannon. y v

Another Object is to provide a toy lcannon of the vtyperefe'rred to, in which themeans `employed yfor storing up venergy in thev spring consists of a manually-operable device arranged on the undersidek of the barrel and adapted to bemoved longitudinally of the barrel by a simple operation of the handl And still` anotherv object, is..to .provider af toy cannon of simple construction Athat can be manufacturedat a low cost and stored y compactlyv when it is not in use, or when it lis yin transit from themanufacturer tothe place where it is to Vbe sold; Otherl objects.A and desirablev features of my'invention will be hereinafter ypointed out.k

. Figure yl of the' drawings is aside elevationalview of a toy cannon constructed in'. y A y be takenapartwhenthe cannon is' not 'in' use, .or when it is being shipped fromtlieV manufacturerito theplacefwhere it isto'be sold. In the/cannon hereinshown thevlegs 4; are provided at ytheirfupper ends with rey duced v extensions '4a .that passupwardly through holesin lugs ll that project ra-v diallyfrom the base plate 3,feach of said tional views, taken on kthe lines and` 4 4, respectively, of Fig. 2. i y Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig.' 2; and j Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view, illustrati ing a slight modification of my invention.. f VReferring to the drawings, which illustrate the preferred form- OffmyfinVentiOmA designates the barrel ofthe cannon which consists of a relatively long member of subs stantially cylindrical shape whose front end y Specification Of Letters Patent. I i v.i1-)ggmtnge,001;;730x

Application filed May 31,1917; seramo. 171,956.

portion 1 tapers slightly and merges into aY flared rim 2 at theinouth of :the barrel'. Said barrel is mounted on va base or sup'- porting structure in' suchv a ,manner vthat it can betilted vertically,"both upwardly and'` Y downwardly, and also' swung horizontally." In theforin Vof my invention herein shown connected-thereto inv sucha manner that said barrel can be tilted upwardly'fand downwardly. Itis immaterial how the bar-f` rel isxpivotally connected to; the turntable 5,

but I prefer to provide said turntable withf,

an'upwardly-projecting ear 6 .thatispiv otally connectedby means of a horizontally# disposed-pivot pin 7 to Van ear 8 that projects downwardly from4 a saddle kplate9 arranged'` ontheunderside of the .barrel *A* adjacent* the rear fend'of same, said saddle; plate being connected to said 'barrel' `in any ydesired manner., ,The turntable 5 andbase plate 3 preferably" consist ,of substantially cup-L .y shaped .castings fof the same generalform and dimensions arranged Sothattheiedgesf f of the Hanges on same will contact with-.eachi other, said elements being secured together' by a fastening device 210,: preferably a rivet'r y that.passes vertically thioughsaid elements,

asshowii in Figs Q'and 3,v-tlifeturntable-be-`1 ing held in vertical alinementwith 4the base plate bylugs i10a on :the inner side'` of one-0f said .parts that :laplover the flange Or an nular sidewall portion of the :other part.`r The legs 4 can either be integrally connected with the vbase `plate y3 or detachably f conl- 'Y 95 tachably rconnect. the legs to the base plate nected to same, it being preferable tofdesoas` to yenable the supporting structure tog t lugs having a set screw 12 Hmounted therein so as to engage the extension '4a on the leg with which it coperates, andthussecurely is also preferably providedlat its upper end' with a relatively"wideshoul'der 4b that bears against the underside of its coperatingilug said spring;` being positioned between' the 11. The horizontal pivot pin 7 previously referred to that pivotal-ly connects thebarrel oftheca-mionto the turntable 5 preferably consists of a bolt provided with a Wingv nut 7a which can be turned so as to securely clamp the ears 6 and 8 together,v or `Which can be removed from the bolt, in case it is desired to disconnect the turntable from the. saddle plate 9.

rBhe; barrel is providedwith a center bore min which a, compression spring 131 andi plunger 1.42; are arrangedas= showniin-Y Fig. 2,

plunger14A ainid an abutment' or plug 15. that Serves as a closurev ion the rear end of the bore w in the-.barrel A. The means employed tor compressing the spring 13 or p-liacingy it under tension is of nouer construction and cof ists of a manually-operable mem-ber slidingly mounted on a guide rod? 16 arranged Qr the undersideL of the-'barrel A and plowided with an upwardly-projecting fin.-

' ger. l that` is positioned in front of a trig ger 118, that: projectsdownwardly from: the

plunger-L4, as.` shownin Fig.; 2', the barrel Av'heing provi-ded on, its underside Wit-hi an elongated slot in'i which the finger 17 'and trigger 18,; travel. lllhen the member B; is.`

Inoue-d rea-rward-1y;A the linger' 17 thereon engages. the trigger 1S on the plunger and movies' the.` plunger-rearwardly therebycom# f pressing the spring 13: orAV placing it under tension.; Vilhe'ni the plunger reaches a eer- Y rearwardly to compress. the spring 13",` the.' trigger 18;; on'. the-,plunger engages-.the curved" portion on the front. end.- of the spring- 19y tai-nl positioluA the trigger 1S. thereon snaps' int-o engagement with a spring-'19',.therebyy Causinggthe;,plungerto beilockech and con.- Sequently', holding the spring 13: under come. pression.. VVarious. means. be used' for looking the plunger 1.4, but I prefer to use a, leafsprilirg-that is: arranged inr agroene on the underside of' the barrel A and which iscpiofiided atv its liront end' with up.-

urardly cursi-ed portion 19?* in! which a hole 20 is formed, so; as to.r receive the trigger 18, the rear` end of said spring bei-ng securelv connected to, the barrell A in suitable mennen wWhen the member ,B3 is moued and depresses said springV sufficientlyv tou pei#- mii-t; the trigger to:- snap.- into the hole 20 in.

the spring; As soon as the operator releases; the mem-ber-` B, said member will be movedx` i'orwairdly'into the position sho-Wn 1n, Fig. 2-

by means of a: coiled compression spring-'9x1 tha-t 1s. arranged between the rear endl of "Seid member` and the, upturned portionL atv the Hear end of thev guide 156-a on which the member Bf is vsliding-lymounted. I

liter-the spring 13', h-asbeen pla-.ced under tension, they object ouprojeetile to. be. tired."n by the? cannon is introducedinto the bore in; the barrel A ata point ini front of the plunger 14...Tl1e1feafter, the spring 19 is depressed so as to release the trigger 18 and permitthespring- 13 to expand by mea-ns of atrigger-releasi-ng mechanism that consists of a horizontally-disposed rock shaft Q2 journaled in the saddle plate 9, as shown ,ifn- Fig., 5, and provided with a crankarm the barrel andi mowed rearwardly through.`

the bore .fr into a. position 'in fron-t of the plunger' 141, on said' objectoan be introduced intol the` bone mfthrough an Yopeningin. the

barrel A that leads laterally,7 from the bore and! terminates in the outer surface o'ii the barrel-13a. I prefer.l to, construct the cannon.

ln'such ama-nner that the object or projectilel e that: is to be shot can be introduced` into the: barrel A at a point adjacent the rear end o-ff same, andi to this endz I 'have provided the barrel: A With,- a slot 25, shown in, Fig. 2, that leads laterally from the boreV a: and terminates: in' the'y outer surta-.Ce

of the upper side of the barrel.' A. The slotv or opening 25E iny the ybarrell is normally closediby-,ia couerf platev 261 which' can-"be secured togtliebarrel in4 angT4 desired manner, the. covernplate 2G. herein sli-own; bei-ngp1.v

otaillyconnected to.v the barrel: by meunsof' a pivot: pin that passes 'through-'tlm 'rear end portionE of saidI plate; If des' A1ed', the

cover plate 26 can be proN-idedwith an up-f WardxLy-projectingplukt 2S that serves as. a

sight. and also-5 as: ai khandle by which the position` n p InAp-ractice h-pret'er to. form the barrel 'Ai from Wood and most 'of the other elements from cast metal;l so as t-oena-.blethe cannon 1 to be manufactured"and sold" ata loir4 cost. In the form oli myy in-uenti-.oi'a herein'shown the legs- 15 base aand turntable 5 consist ot castings7 and the sad'd'l'e plate 9i alsoJ consists ofr a casting which. can be connected; by

means of screws orgother suitable fasteningdeu-icosth-ewooden barrel A. The spring-.compressing member-Bi can be formed conveniently from! Wood andi the guide 16 on which. said.v member is` slidingliy mounted can be formed convenientllr'i from a small rod or' roundibar provided? at its rear end with an y upturneda portion that islri'veted to the sad-- dle plete, ils-shown in Fig; 2, and provided plate can', be mowed into. and out 'of operative at its front end with] an u-pturned portion thatis riveted to a plate 116 connected; by

suitable fasten-.ing-Ydexicestothe barrel AL.

Instead.-` of' providing the barrel'AWith a permanent abutment V against Which the rear end of the spring` 13 bears, as showny in Fig.y 2, thebarrel can be provided With a movable abutment 15'?, as shown. in Fig. 6, thatcan be adjusted by means of a screw 15b, so asto vary the tension of the springV 13 when itis under-compression, said screvv 15b being mounted in a plate l5c that serves as a closure for the rear end of the bore w in the barrel A.

A toy cannon of the construction above described looks similar to a real cannon, and` the barrell of saine can be tilted vertically and swung horizontally in substantially the y same manner as the barrel of a real cannon in getting the range shot at. Y v j And still another desirable feature of such a cannon is that the springcan be placed of the object being under co-inpression by a simple operation of lar to the Way a real cannon is loaded. i The frictional contact between the turntable 5 and the base 3 on which it rests is sufficient Yto hold the turntable in the position into which it has been turned, and the Wing nut and bolt that secure the saddle plate to the turntable permit the coperating ears on said parts to be clamped so securely together that the barrel Will remain either in a horizontal position or in an inclined position. A cannon of l the construction above described can be manufactured at a lovv cost, and as the barrel is detachably connected to a supporting structure which can be taken apart easily, it is possible to pack the can- 1 non in a small box, when it is in transit from the manufacturer, or When it is not in use.

l-laving thus described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A toy cannon, comprising a supporting structure provided with a base-that consists of a substantially cup-shaped casting, a turntable that consists of a substantially cupshaped casting arranged so that the edge of the side Wall portion of same will bear upon the side Wall portion of the base, and a barrel connected to said turntable by a horizontal pivot.

2. A toy cannon, comprising a base and turntable formed by oppositely-disposed, cup-shaped castings, a vertical pivot pin that connects said parts together, lugs on the inside of one casting that lap-over the side Wall portion of the other casting, and a barrel carried by said turntable.

Vspring to expand. Y n 4:. A toy cannon, comprising abarrelpi'of f 3.- A toy cannon, .comprising abarrel pro-l vided 'With a longitudinal bore, a spring and plunger arrangedv in said bore, lsaid plunger being provided with a trigger, a ,member sion', and means for actuating saidy springso as to release the plunger and permit the vided With a longitudinallbore, a spring and plunger arrangedinsaid bore, a trigger on f slot in the barrel, fa member that is adapted.

to be moved longitudinally of the barrel to exert pressure on .said plunger in afdirection to compress said spring, a resilient device provided With an opening into Which the trigger on said plunger snaps after the 5. A toy cannon, comprising a barrel pro-v vided With a longitudinal bore,l a spring and a plunger arranged in said bore, a trigger on said plunger that projects into an elongated slot in the barrel, a member slidingly mounted on a guide that extends longitudinally of. the barrel thatis adapted to engage said trigger When said member -is moved in a direction to place said spring under compression, a flat spring provided with a hole that coperates With said trigger to hold the spring under compression, and .a lateral opening in said barrel through which the projectile or object to be tired can be introduced into the bore in the barrel.

(i.l A toy cannon, comprising a supporting structure provided with a turntable a saddle plate connected to said turntable by a horizontal pivot, a barrel secured to said saddle plate and provided withy a longitudinal bore, a spring and a plunger arranged in said bore, a trigger on said plunger that projects into an elongated slot in said barrel, a guide rod arranged longitudinally of the barrel and connected at its front end to the barrel and at its rear end to said saddle plate, and a member slidingly mounted on said guide rod and having a portion that projects into the slot in the barrel at a point in advance of said trigger.

7. A toy cannon, comprising va supporting structure providedWith a turntable, a saddle plate connected to said turntable by a horizontal pivot, a barrel secured to said saddle plate and provided with a longitudinal bore, a spring and a plunger arranged in said bore, a trigger on said plunger that ies projects into an elongated slot inSFid-brrel, it' guide rod arranged longitudinally of the barrel andrclonneetedft its front end to the barrel and at its rear end to sz'nid saddle plate, member slidingl'y mounted on said guidev rod and having e portion thatprojeot's into the slot' in the' bzrrrel at a point in aid- Va'nee of sind trigger, a' spri'ng-onvsaldgude -rod that exerts pressure 'on' said memberv so 10" as to normally hold it in a. eert-'ain position,y

sion, and an operating shaft arranged trans-y versely of the barrel and* provided with u portion that engages said resilient element and' disconnectsk it from said trigger.

lle/insee S. A toy Cini-11011,'y comprising@ supp'ortng-V` structure composed of a" baseI and legs detachably connected to seid bese, at turntable on Said siubportingV struoture'fzrbarrel pivotz'r'lly' oonneeted to Suid turntable'and provided with zt'longitudinztlbore, zrsprng and a' plunger in said bore, means erran'gedto move loilgitud'inzilly oftheA barrel for oom'- pressingr said' spring; L resilient element yfor holding?)` Said `spring under compression', menSl for trioping said element so is to release the' spring7 and aQlteral opening in the' barrel through which the propeotile or' object to be" fired can be introducedv into the'- bole in I the? barrel.

WALTER o. MODMTI-EL;l

Gopies'of this patentlmy lie obtained forvdcen'ts each;` b'y aridiressingfithe Commissioner of Patents, f Washington; D. Ca 

